I made one – a food gift in a jar, that is! It was for our Thanksgiving hostess this year, put together late at night, and hence all that harsh glare in the pictures. Oops! But – the star here is the cranberry sauce. So let’s get to it.
I know Thanksgiving is almost over, but cranberries are here to stay throughout the holiday season. They are a funny kind of fruit. They look absolutely stunning with their vivid red color and shiny skin, but raw cranberries are not for everyone. Dried cranberries are kind of like raisins and can be used in baking, like you would use raisins or other dried fruit.
I love a good cranberry sauce. While some prefer the canned, jellied version, I like the lumpier homemade kind. It is really easy to make, taking at the most 20 minutes. All you need are fresh cranberries, water and sugar. Add some citrus juice and some aromatic whole spices like cinnamon, cloves or cardamom, to fancy them up a bit.
I whipped up a jar of cranberry sauce infused with orange zest and cinnamon. The aroma while it simmers on the stove is to die for…mmm… let’s get to the recipe now!
CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE
You will need:
- Cranberries – 12 oz
- Orange – 1, zested and juiced
- Water – 1 cup
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Cinnamon – 2″ stick
How to:
- Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. The cranberries will soon burst open with a distinctive popping sound.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, till the sauce thickens to your liking. Taste and add more sugar if the sauce seems too tart. But remember, cranberries are inherently tart and bitter. It’s just how they are, no point in hiding their flavor with more and more sugar!
- Remove and discard the cinnamon stick (or other spices) at this point. Cool the sauce completely and store in a clean, sterilized jar or container in the refrigerator. It will keep for a few days (or even weeks) if you store it properly.
Pair the sauce with roast meat or fresh bread. I love to eat it with my favorite Hawaiian sweet rolls.
GIFT IN A JAR
As for the gift, I dressed up a mason jar to gift this sauce to our Thanksgiving hostess.
All I did was stick some pretty paper (using double-sided tape) around the glass jar and on the lid. You could spray paint the lid, but I was not sure if it would be food-safe then. Tie a length of twine or ribbon around the neck, add a pretty tag if you want, and you have a yummy ‘gift in a jar’!
Do you like cranberries? Are you a sauce or relish person? If you’ve never had them before, this is a good, basic recipe to start with.
You may also like to try this Dried Apricots Refrigerator Jam.
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This looks delicious and I love what you did with the jar! Thanks for linking up to Twirl & Take a Bow! Hope to see you again this week!
Thanks Brooke!
I made cranberry sauce for the first time last year and was surprised how easy it is! This is a great gift idea! Thanks so much for linking up to the Handmade Holiday Link Party!
Thanks Alexis! I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was super easy and yummier than the readymade store version.
Oh this sounds soooooo good. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Thanks Marty!
Sounds very tasty & the jar is decorated quite nicely!
Thank you, Angela!
I made this sauce this year and it was wonderful.
Sherry
Glad you liked it, Sherry!
Thanks for linking this up to our Marvelous Monday party! Pinning to my MM board!
Thanks Deb!
This is really pretty I think anyone would be pleased to receive an edible gift!
Oh, thank you!
Hi,
Your blog has caught our attention thanks to the quality of your recipes. We would be delighted if you would join us on Recipes.in so that we could link to your blog.
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Thanks a lot for the invite. I have linked up my blog and am waiting for the activation.
Love what you’ve done with the jar.. so pretty! 🙂
Thank you, Priya!
Wow, I would love a gift like that! 😉 yummy sauce and beautiful jar Anjana. Good job.
Thank you, Namrata. Wish we lived closer!